Washington beavers can be a major problem to the homeowner. However, the beaver needs to continue creating wetlands that are important to our ecosystem. Fortunately there are ways to stop the Seattle beaver from chewing on your trees, which is something they badly need to build their homes and dams and to eat.

One of the more effective preventatives is fencing. Mesh fencing is the number 1 fencing to use. You can use the fencing around individual trees as well as groves. It is said that the fencing is 100% fool proof. It is most important to fence in Willow, Poplar and Cottonwood trees. Using a thick fencing place them in a cylindrical manner around the trunk of the tree. You should use 2x4 mesh. Mesh is preferable to chicken wire, as chicken wire will rot within a year. There are several ways to fashion a fastener. Zip ties, or the wire prongs from the fence. Anchoring of the fence is necessary, be sure to not have any gaps, Washington beavers are great at digging, especially on sloping ground. You can also cut the bottom of the mesh in order to protect the roots of the trees from being chewed. To accommodate a growing tree, you should move the fence outward. If you find any type of corrosion repair your fence.

Protecting a grove of trees as opposed to an individual wrapping you can use the same 2x4 mesh wiring. This time you would use posts to mount the mesh on. Again be sure that the mesh has good contact to the ground. The rule of thumb for climates that have snow, the fence should be at least 2 ft. above the snow.

Electric fences also offer protection from chewing Seattle beavers is effective. Primarily run by solar power, these fences are great for uneven terrain. The installation should be at least 4” above ground. Used a great deal by farmers the kit can be found in a farm supply store. Electric fences are generally found to be more aesthetically pleasing. Trees branches can fall upon the fence and short it out. There is another method that has killed thin barked trees. This is a mixture of Cayenne Pepper and oil. It is effective but not always healthy for the tree. There are several methods to stop a Washington beaver on your property. These methods will make them move on due to the lack of food and building materials.

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